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M. S. Bovill (U Maryland, College Park), T. L. Bourke, E. A. Bergin (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
We present observations of BHR71, in rotational transitions of 12CO, 13CO and C18O and selected additional molecules. BHR71 is an isolated Bok Globule 200 pc from the Sun with an embedded protostellar system, that also contains a highly collimated outflow with unusually active chemistry. Our observations are used to probe the physical and chemical structure of this outflow. We derive the excitation temperature and opacity for several positions in the outflow using the multi-transitional CO data. With this information we estimate the mass to be 1.7 M\odot and the excitation temperature to be 15 K in the outflow, slightly elevated above the temperature in the ambient gas (10 K). There is evidence for even higher temperatures towards a position in the blue lobe that is coincident with knots of H2 emission. CO column densities calculated with these temperatures are used to analyze the chemical abundances in the outflow relative to the ambient gas. SiO, CS, HCN, and H2CO all show increased abundances relative to the ambient and molecular ions (HCO+, DCO+, and N+H+) show depletion. These abundances agree qualitatively with those estimated for L1157, the only other outflow that has been extensively studied with regards to the chemistry. However, we find significant disagreements in the magnitude of the abundance changes. BHR71 abundances show agreement with chemical theory.
This work was supported in part by NSF grant AST-9731923 to the SAO Summer Intern program.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34, #4
© 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.